One piece collapsible partitioned carton



May 9, 1951 A. L. MUELLER 2,983,426 ONE PIECE COLLAPSIBLE PARTITIONED CARTON Filed Dec. 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ,4//e/7 L. Muel/er ATTORN May 9, 1961 A, L. MUELLER ONE PIECE; COLLAPSIBLE PARTITIONED CARTON Filed Dec. ll, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. I4//e/7 L. Mae/kw United States Patent ONE PIECE COLLAPSIBLE PARTITIONED' CARTON Allen L. Mueller, Kansas City, Mo.,-assignor to Burd 8: Fletcher Company, Kansas City, Mo.,- a corporation of Missouri Filed Dec. 11, 1957, Ser. No. 702,189

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-28) This invention relates to folding boxes particularly adapted for shipping cartridges or other similar products, the primary object being to present a container having a plurality of compartments therein, all through use of an initially flat, single sheet of flexible material.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a carton including a container having separator-elements as an integral part thereof, all stamped from a single sheet of cardboard or the like and presenting a number of transverse partitions extending laterally from, and-integral with the separator elements topresent individual pockets for the articles to be contained in the carton. r I

. Another object of the instant invention is to provide a carton that may be stamped from a sheet of cardboard to present the aforementioned partitions, as well as in-. tegral ears that are attached directly to the side walls of the container forming a part of the carton through use of a suitable adhesive. A further object of the instant invention is :to provide a carton of the aforementioned character that may be quickly, easily and inexpensively manufactured by following a seriesof novel steps,'all of which will be made clear as the following specification progresses.

In the drawings: i I

Fig. l is a plan view of a blank from which the onepiece collapsible partitioned carton of the instant invention is made. p v Fig. 2 is a plan view of 'the blankafter the initial stages of folding thereof.

- Fig. 3 is a plan view of the carton in a folded condi-' tion.

Fig. 4 is a view looking into the top of the carton. Fig. 5 is. a cross-sectional view taken on irregular line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse, cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Patented May 9, 1961 an obvious manner along the lines 18,20, 26 and 46.

' A pair of elongated separator elements '50 and 52 also form an integral part of the blank 10, the former extending longitudinally of the blank 10 from wall 12 and the latter in the opposite direction from wall 34. A plurality of transverse partitions 54 form an integral part of the separator 50 and a number of similar partitions 56 are formed in the element 52. Each partition 54 is in turn provided with an integral ear 58, and similar ear's'60 are provided for each partition 56 respectively, it being noted that one face of each of the cars 58 and 60 is provided with an adhesive.

The construction shown in Fig. 2 is accomplished by first printing or otherwise applying a masking substance, such as a high gloss ink or varnish. coating, on one face of blank 10, the masked areas on elements 50 and 52 being designated by the numerals 62 and 64 respectively and on Walls 12 and '14 by the numerals 66 and 68 respectively. In printing the elements 50 and- 52 with such masking material or otherwise applying the latter thereto, a series of small, elongated zones remain devoid of the; masking material, such zones being comparable in a size and shapeto' the corresponding ears 58 andv 60 and being coincident with the latter in disposition. In a similar manner, when the areas 66 and 68 are provided with masking material, a series of zones 67 and 69 respectively remain unmasked, the size, shape and spacing of zones 67 and 69 being comparable to cars 58 and 60 respectively.

Manifestly, the masking material is ofsuch nature that thesame' will not receive adhesive and, therefore, when the latter is applied, each of'the ears 58 and 60 and each 'of the zones 67 and 69, will be coated with the adhesive. I Substantially U-shaped slits 78 are cut ,into the elements 50 and 52 to define the partitions 54 and 56, the

.. slits 78' being shapedto also present ears 58 and 60.

Eachpartition 54 and 56 is also provided with a short s1it80 cooperating with the slits 78 to define the ears 58 and 60 and to assure bending of the ears 58 and 60 at right angles to the partitions 54 and 56 as will hereafter appear. p

" The end wall 34 is integrally joined with the side wall 14 by a line of fold 90, and while. the tabs 30 and 40 are joined: to end wall 16 only, along lines of bend 26 and 46 respectively, the tabs 32 and 44 are separate from flaps 25 and 42, but only partially joined to end wall 34 along lines of bend 26 and 46 respectively. Slits 92 Fig. 7 is across-sectional'view taken on line 77 of integrally joined with walls 12 and 14 respectively, by I a line of bend 26, together with a pair of tabs '30 and 32 separate. from the flaps 24 and 25. The line of bend 26 joins tab 36 integrally with end Wall 16 andftab 32 integrally with an end wall 34.

Similarly, bottom wall 36 is composed of flaps 38, tab 40, flap 42 and tab'44 integrally joined with walls 12, 16, 14 and 34 respectively, by aline of bend '46. The parts of blank 10 thus far described make up a hollow container (Figs.'4-7) broadly, designated by' the K separate a portion of the tabs 32 and 44 from end wall 34. 'Thus, separator element, 52 becomes an integral part of the end wall 34 by short linesof bend 93. All of end wall 34'is masked except a C-shaped strip which receives adhesive as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. p I "When the blank 10 is folded into the condition illustrated in Figs. 3-8, a connector 94 is overlapped by a portion of the end wall 34 (which portion includes strip 70) and, therefore, connector'94 becomes a part of one of 'the'end wall-s'of the container 48. Therefore, the separator element 50 becomes an integral component of a part (connector 94) of end wall 34. Lines of fold '96 and 97 join the connector 94 integrally with the side wall '12 and the element 50 respectively, and mask areas 7,

62 and 66 extend acrossthe connector 94.

An elongated divider, including a pair of opposed panels 98, is integrally joined withthe separator element 50 by lines of fold 100.

The longitudinal edges 82, of panels 98 between score lines 100 and mask strips 84 are adhesively coated and align with longitudinal margins 86 of element 52 for rea-- sons hereafter to be made clear. I

At the outermost end of element 50, there is provided a member 72 having the same size and shape as the unmasked, adhesively coated portion of end wall 16. The masked area 62 is extended to set oif member 72 so that the latter will be coated with adhesive, and the next adja cent slit 78 defines the inner edge of member 72; A line of fold 88 integrally joins member 72 to element St) and subdivides member 72 into a pair of sections 74 and 76.

In assemblying the container 43 with its partition structure therewithin, the separator 52 is first folded inwardly (viewing Fig. 2) into overlapping relationship to the side wall 14, the margins 86 bending along lines 93 at the innermost end of the slits 92. This places the adhesively coated faces of cars 6e into engagement with the adhesively coated zones 69 of side wall 14, causing all of such ears 6%) to join with the side wall 14.

The divider panels 98 are then folded outwardly along lines 1%; into underlying relationship to separator 50, bringing the outermost longitudinal edges of panels 98 into substantial abutting relationship. Thereupon, the separator 50 isfolded inwardly in the same manner along line 96 adjacent area 94, and the adhesively coated ears 58 become attached to the adhesively coated zones 67 of wall 12.

At the same timetre adhesive face of member 72 is brought into engagement with the adhesive face of end wall 16 and the same becomes secured thereto as is obvious in Fig. 2. i

When the wall 14 is then folded inwardly along line 20 over the wall 12 (see Figs. 3 and 8), the separator 52 is brought into superimposed relationship to the divider panels 98 and the edges 82 of the latter become adhe-v sively attached to the margins 86 of separator 52. Note in Figs. 3 and 8 that flaps and 42" now overlie tabs and 4t) and flaps 24 andfi ti, and that tabs 32, and 44 engage flaps 24 and 38. Also, adhesive strip 79 has been brought into engagement with connector 94 and become attached thereto.

The flaps and tabs forming the bottom wall 36 are thereupon folded into position and glued together in the usual manner after the structure is. opened from the condition shown in Figs. 3 and 8 to present the completed article ready for receiving cartridges 1% or the like in each of pockets 110, whereupon the top 'wall 22is closed and the parts thereof adhesively interconnected or otherwise held in the closed position.

It is now apparent that pockets 116 are formed by the two back-to-back, elongated separator elements 50 and 52 within the container 48 which areseparat'ed by the divider panels 98 and joined to the latter through use of the glue edges 82 and lines 1%. When the assem bly is opened or extended from the collapsed condition shown in Figs. 3 and 8, the transverse partitions 54 extend laterally in one direction from the elementStl as is apparent in Figs. 4 and 7, and the partitions'56 extend transversely in the opposite direction from the separator 52. Thus, all of the partitions 54- and 56 are disposed in perpendicular relationship to the side walls 12 and 14 and to the divider panels 98, the latter of which are disposed midway between, and in parallelism, with walls 12 and 14-.

Figs. 4 and 7 illustrate also the way in which the ears 58 and 60 fold relative to their corresponding partitions 54 and 56 in perpendicular relationship thereto at slits Stland bear directly against corresponding side Walls 12 and 14.

It is thus seen how, through the instant invention, it is possible to compartment the container 48 and present the plurality of pockets 110 through use of but a single sheet 10 of foldable material, and its is apparent also that, prior to placing the carton in use, it may be stored conveniently while in the relatively compact, flat condition shown in Figs. 3 and 8 o'f-the drawings.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is;

A compartmented carton formed from an elongated sheet of material and comprising a hollow container having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, said side walls being spaced apart and being interconnected by one of said end walls, said side and end walls being formed by folding said sheet intermediate the ends thereof along spaced lines transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof; a top wall and a bottom wall integral with the side walls and laterally spaced from the longitudinal axis of said sheet and normally closing said container, said top and bottom walls being formed by foldingsaid sheet along spaced lines'parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof; a pair of separator. elements formed by folding said sheet proximal to the ends thereof along transverse lines spaced from the lines forming said side and end walls, said elements being disposed within said container and extending longitudinally thereof; a divider interconnecting said elements therebetween, said divider being formed integrally with one of said separator elements at the longitudinal edges thereof; a plurality of longitudinally spaced,

transverse partitions spanning the distance between each element respectively and the corresponding side wall; and an ear on each partition respectively, the ears being secured tothe side walls, the partitions being integral with their respective elements, one end of each element being integral with a portion of one of the end walls, the opposite ends of said elements being joined to the opposite end wall, each of said elements having a plurality of U-shaped, partition-forming slits formed therein, said slits extending substantially the full width of said elements and each of said partitions formed by said U-shaped slits having a short slit therein in spaced relation to the bight of said U-shaped slit whereby to allow said ears to be.

bentat right angles with respect to said partitions.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rossum Apr. 28, 1959 

